Power sources at dark sites

Varangian (John) · #1 05-06-2012, 02:11 PM

Hi all,

I am considering enternal power sources to run my motor drive on the EQ4. Considering I will occasionally be going bush to dark sites I am interested to know how some of you run your motor drives/laptops etc. when in the field.

I am considering two easy, cheap options. Plug AC straight into a battery pack jump starter (not sure how long these last though and whether it will get me through a full night) or look at DC input to my cigarette lighter in my car (although I am loathe to suck the car battery).

Does anyone have any other thoughts?

stringscope (Ian) · #2 05-06-2012, 02:19 PM

Hi John,

I use batteries for powering dew heaters at dark sites not a powered mount. I have 54AH and 25AH deep cycle batteries, the larger for scope heaters and the smaller for heated eyepiece case. I would be cautious using your car battery, might end up trying to guide the RACV into a remote dark paddock at 3AM.

Cheers,

Allan_L (Allan) · #3 05-06-2012, 02:27 PM

I have a 30 amp hour deep cycle battery.
I can plug the mount drive and dew heaters into it (DC - 12volts - cigarette plug types).
My laptop I have to plug into an inverter (because although it transforms AC into DC - it is higher than 12 Volts).
Being sensitive, it needs to be a sine wave inverter.
The inverter plugs into the same battery.
The battery is a Blue Apple Thumper, made especially for deep cycle use.
It cost around $300.

The cheaper jump start batteries never used to last the night. Even a 17 amp hour battery was no match for a dew heater running four heater straps. Let alone the inverter.

Don't use the car (cigarette lighter) battery.
Being stuck with no battery to start your car at 2am at a remote site is no fun. (And does not impress NRMA call out people). I've done it twice.

I won't make that mistake again.

mikerr (Michael) · #4 05-06-2012, 04:51 PM

Hi John,

Another suggestion here....

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=76643

Michael.

stephenb (Stephen) · #5 05-06-2012, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan_L

Don't use the car (cigarette lighter) battery.
Being stuck with no battery to start your car at 2am at a remote site is no fun. (And does not impress NRMA call out people). I've done it twice.

I won't make that mistake again.

I hear you Allan

Been there....

John I'm like Allen, I use a 26Ah Sealed Lead acid battery for a my Dob (with fan), laptop and 3 dew heaters.

Cheers,
Stephen

Varangian (John) · #6 05-06-2012, 06:44 PM

Thanks all,

I knew there wasn't going to be a cheap option, but my wife tried to convince me otherwise

I may have to wait until my bday in 8 weeks to get a set up, esp after I just spent $240 in eps

Varangian (John) · #7 05-06-2012, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikerr

Hi John,

Another suggestion here....

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=76643

Michael.

Hmmm maybe there is after all! Thanks Michael certainly worth looking into

inline_online (Dan) · #8 06-06-2012, 12:03 AM

I'm going to try this one as i'm getting sick of running extension cables over the back yard...
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=MB3594
Hopefully it works. It was recommended by a fellow astronomer.

Varangian (John) · #9 06-06-2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikerr

Hi John,

Another suggestion here....

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=76643

Michael.

Hi Michael, do you have any idea how long you could run a 6v motor drive with intermittent use of a hair dryer from a standard 12.6v car battery?

Also is there any issues (power surges etc.) with connecting up a 6v motor drive to a 12.6 volt car battery via the alligator clips/cigarette socket scenario?

Thanks in advance.

byronpaul (Paul) · #10 06-06-2012, 02:39 PM

In the field, I use concurrent configurations like the following .... all with deep cycle batteries:

Visual CGEM1100 - 1 x 30AH for mount + 1 x 80AH for Dew Heaters + accessories

Imaging HEQ5Pro ED80 - 1 x 26AH for mount + 1 x 80AH for Dew Heaters, Cameras, Laptop, etc.

I usually top up batteries each day with 240v charger, but I have run these set-ups for multiple sessions without going flat.

On a bad night, dew heaters draw a lot more power than the mounts so it pays to have a good one with multiple on~off controls.

Allan_L (Allan) · #11 06-06-2012, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Varangian

Hi Michael, do you have any idea how long you could run a 6v motor drive with intermittent use of a hair dryer from a standard 12.6v car battery?

Also is there any issues (power surges etc.) with connecting up a 6v motor drive to a 12.6 volt car battery via the alligator clips/cigarette socket scenario?

Thanks in advance.

I don't think it is possible (or at least not easy) to run a 6 volt motor from a 12 volt battery.

Unless you know how to string resisters to the line.

I would not risk it.

Varangian (John) · #12 06-06-2012, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan_L

I don't think it is possible (or at least not easy) to run a 6 volt motor from a 12 volt battery.

Unless you know how to string resisters to the line.

I would not risk it.

Oh okay.

So it is not as simple as acquiring a car battery, clipping alligator clips onto the terminals with a DC socket on the end and then plugging in my 6v motor drive?

Electrical infant here

Davros (Lauren) · #13 06-06-2012, 09:11 PM

I think that would let the smoke out of the wires. Deep cycle batteries are getting very cheap. Another idea is to obtain a pair of 6volt golf cart batteries and wire them together to give 12v plus up around 200+ amp hours of usage which should be more than enough grunt to run astro gear.

MrB (Simon) · #14 06-06-2012, 09:13 PM

smoke

Edit: beaten by Mick

Allan_L (Allan) · #15 06-06-2012, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Varangian

Oh okay.

So it is not as simple as acquiring a car battery, clipping alligator clips onto the terminals with a DC socket on the end and then plugging in my 6v motor drive?

Electrical infant here

Sorry, but every motorised mount I have owned has been 12 volt.
So for me, it always has been just that easy.

I have no experience with 6 volt drives.

Additionally, all my inverters are 12 volts.
And my Dew Heater controller is 12 volts.

So this question is new to me.

Perhaps you could get a motorcycle battery?
Some of these are 6 volt I think.
But your other gear is likely to be 12 volts (in my experience).

Sorry for the bad news!
(Are you sure your mount is only 6 volts?)

Varangian (John) · #16 07-06-2012, 11:19 AM

Okay thanks Allan,

I am not entirely sure if the drive is 6v, I took it to jaycar and they told me it looks like a 6v so they gave me a 6v power supply (but that doesn't mean it's not a 12v

), the 6v works okay but if it can run on 12v that will streamline my power supply at my dark site because as you stated my accessories are all 12v.

I received the drive as a gift and it works fine the only problem was it didn't come with a power cord. It is an EQ4 dual axis (see attached although this one may be single axis but you get the idea of what I'm trying to run). After much kefuffle I managed to get it installed and running, this is the last issue I have (determining correct power supply that is).

Allan_L (Allan) · #17 07-06-2012, 12:06 PM

I did a search, and I found this in IIS Archives.
And it clearly says 6 volt DC power.
So it could well be the same.

I think the best bet is going to be to get a 6 volt battery pack (Jaycar?) for the drive.
Then you can still use the old car battery for dew heaters and to power the inverter for you Laptop (etc).

Unless someone else has a better idea?

Varangian (John) · #18 07-06-2012, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allan_L

I did a search, and I found this in IIS Archives.
And it clearly says 6 volt DC power.
So it could well be the same.

I think the best bet is going to be to get a 6 volt battery pack (Jaycar?) for the drive.
Then you can still use the old car battery for dew heaters and to power the inverter for you Laptop (etc).

Unless someone else has a better idea?

Okay that's my set up so it looks like it's 6v for me which means I need to run it external to my 12v accessories. The only difference is mine doesn't say 6V on the casing!
Thanks for your assistance Allan, I really appreciate it.

MattT · #19 07-06-2012, 12:22 PM

John if it has 4 D size in it it's 6 volts. I'm not sure but I think jaycar sell a 6 volt from 12 volt converter, I have a 6V drive on my EQ5 and am thinking of running it off a 12V battery, but the D cells run for a long time so it might not be worth the trouble.
Matt

Varangian (John) · #20 07-06-2012, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattT

John if it has 4 D size in it it's 6 volts. I'm not sure but I think jaycar sell a 6 volt from 12 volt converter, I have a 6V drive on my EQ5 and am thinking of running it off a 12V battery, but the D cells run for a long time so it might not be worth the trouble.
Matt

Okay thanks Matt, I'm thinking I'll go for a 6v battery and run it externally rather than going with a conversion. How are you running your 6v drive when you are away from a primary power supply?